Cloth Diapering: Common Questions and Misconceptions

In today's world of disposable plates, disposable cameras, disposable batteries, and disposable incomes, it's quite common to see babies wearing disposable diapers. But many parents are reaching back to the old ways and switching to reusable cloth diapers for their families. Here I have compiled a list of common questions and misconceptions about cloth diapering.

Isn't it expensive?

While it is true that the initial start-up cost for cloth diapering may seem a bit shocking, it really will save you money in the long run over disposables. With disposables, you will have to buy new diapers every couple of weeks until the child is potty trained. With cloth however, it is a one-time cost. You will never again have to buy diapers after you buy one set of cloth diapers. If you go with the all-in-ones (AIO's), you may need to buy different sizes, but there are many one-size options available today that will grow with your child from newborn to potty training. And they can be used for multiple children, so if you have more kids at home you can reuse them, or give them away to friends or relatives. You can also recoup some of your expense by reselling them when you're finished using them.

If you're willing to put in a little extra effort into learning how to use them, prefolds or flat diapers with waterproof covers are the most cost-effective method of cloth diapering. They really aren't difficult to use, but they do operate differently than a disposable, so it will be a new learning experience.

Isn't it unsanitary?

When you run your clothes and underwear through the wash, you are certain that they are clean and sanitary, right? It's the same with your cloth diapers. If cared for properly, cloth diapers are no less sanitary than disposables.

Aren't they hard to clean?

Nope. For infants, before solid stools, you can just throw the diapers into a dry pail until wash day. Then before washing, run them through a rinse cycle to remove the excess, and then wash them as normal. For toddlers, you can simply dump any solid waste into the toilet, and then treat them as you would for infant diapers. Never use a wet pail to soak your diapers before wash day - these are highly unsanitary, as well as a drowning hazard for curious tots. If you feel that you must use a wet pail to soak your diapers, be sure to change the water frequently and get a pail with a locking lid to prevent spilling or drowning.

The most difficult thing about cleaning cloth diapers is choosing the right detergent. Babies have sensitive skin by nature, and the skin on their bottoms is the most sensitive. Some detergents which claim to be excellent for babies do actually have fragrance and dyes, which can be irritating to tender bottoms. I learned this the hard way when I used Dreft to wash my daughter's diapers. Not a good idea. Choose a detergent that says on the label that it is free from dyes and perfumes. Otherwise, your baby may end up with a big, painful rash that takes days to clear up. You also want to make sure not to use fabric softeners or cling-free sheets with your diapers. These not only carry the risk of being irritating to baby's skin, but they will leave an oily coating on your diapers that will lower the absorbency.

One common problem is staining. It doesn't affect the function of the diapers, and it doesn't mean that they're dirty, but let's face it, it just doesn't look nice and we don't' like it. Don't soak your diapers in hot water - that will set the stains. If you do get a stain, there are some things you need to know about removing stains from cloth diapers. Bleaches are too harsh for cloth diapers, and will eat away at the fabric. This will make them less absorbent and rougher to the touch. For whitening, use a gentler whitening agent such as Oxi-Clean, or better yet, hang them to dry in the sun - the sunlight will whiten as well as removing odors and killing germs.

Won't all that extra laundry run up my utility bill?

Yes, but not enough that you'd notice. Depending on how large your washer is, you can get away with doing only one or two extra loads per week. This might raise your water bill by about $5 a month, if that. And remember, you can always hang your diapers to dry in the sun, cutting down on energy costs from running the dryer (although you may want to fluff them in the dryer for a few minutes, to soften them a bit).

They look awfully bulky - aren't they uncomfortable for baby?

Are you kidding? Cloth diapers are much more flexible than disposables, and therefore much more comfortable. A baby can really move in a cloth diaper. When we first switched, my daughter was just discovering her feet, but her belly was a bit fat, so she had a hard time getting her toes in her mouth. When I put her in a cloth diaper, it was no trouble at all, and she could happily munch on her toes as much as she liked.

And really, they don't have to be that bulky. When using prefold or flat diapers, you can experiment with folding them so that they're not so big. Many all-in-ones advertise their trim look as well.

Aren't they more difficult to use than disposables?

I suppose they can be, but they certainly don't have to be. Many companies (BumGenius, Fuzzi Buns, etc.) make an AIO that works just like a disposable. They have a built-in waterproof cover, Velcro or snap tabs, gussets at the legs, absorbent liner - all the features of a disposable diaper, only reusable. And many of the other options available are just as easy, once you learn the best way of using them. I can now fold a flat diaper, fasten it with a Snappi, and put on a cover in about the same time it used to take to put a disposable on my daughter.

Don't they leak more than disposables?

Again, I suppose that sometimes that would be the case, but it doesn't have to be. The AIO's, if they fit properly, won't leak any more than a disposable would, provided that you change them when wet (with cloth diapers, most parents find that they need to be changed every 2 or 3 hours during the day). With flats or prefolds, as long as they're folded properly and used with a well-fitting cover, you should have no problems with leaks. And with the contours or fitteds, all you need is to make sure your cover fits properly, and you should have no leak issues.

Really, why does it matter anyway?

There are countless reasons that people choose to use cloth diapers. For many, the money-saving aspect is all they need to hear. Some really like the idea of not having the hassle of going back to the store every week to buy disposables. Some are drawn by the sheer variety of styles and colors available in cloth diapers, and look at it as a kind of fashion accessory for baby.

Cloth diapers are beneficial from an environmental standpoint as well. In a landfill, a disposable diaper can take up to 500 years to decompose. The average baby will go through 8,000 to 10,000 disposable diapers before he is potty trained - that's a lot of waste sitting in the landfills for a very, very long time. And let's not forget the most immediate person affected by disposable diapers: your baby. The chemicals in a disposable diaper soak into your baby's skin, and may cause infertility, cancer, and other health issues later in life. It's a risk that many parents just aren't willing to take.

Whatever your reasoning, cloth diapering just seems to make sense for many parents. It's worth thinking about, for your baby, your budget, and your planet.